1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a flow control apparatus for toilet flush valves. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a flow regulator for a flush valve assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Toilets for removing waste products are well known for having three systems that work together to perform a flushing action: a toilet fixture, a flush mechanism and a refill mechanism. Toilet valves typically operate between a fully open position and a fully closed position so that abrupt changes in flow rates occur. This phenomenon can frequently affect overall system line pressure, such that the opening of one valve in a plumbing system will reduce the system pressure (and thus the flow through) of another pre-opened valve.
During the past two decades, toilets and other waste removal devices have been subjected to restrictions on water usage, due primarily to the excessive global consumption of potable water. An increasing global population has negatively affected the amount and quality of suitable water, and many federal and local authorities have responded by enacting regulations that reduce the water demand required by toilet flushing operations. In the United States, for instance, government agencies that regulate water usage have gradually reduced the threshold for fresh water use in toilets, from 7 gallons/flush (prior to the 1950s) to 5.5 gallons/flush (by the end of the 1960s) to 3.5 gallons/flush (in the 1980s). The National Energy Policy Act of 1995 now mandates that toilets sold in the United States can only use 1.6 gallons/flush (6 liters/flush), and similar regulations exist in numerous countries.
It is a basic principle that water within a water distribution system of a building will follow the path of least resistance. The water piping systems within a building will rarely maintain the same residual pressure due to the variations in use. This fact is even more prevalent within mid-size to large facilities where the systems are increasingly complex. Water outflow quantity and time (i.e., flow rate and volume) fluctuate due to variations in water pressure in the connecting water pipe. When water pressure increases within a predetermined flush cycle, water outflow quantity also increases, resulting in wasted water and higher water bills. Due to higher water pressure and faster water discharge speed, water flushing in the toilet tends to cause undesirable splashing outside of the bowl region. When water pressure is low, discharge force is inadequate, thereby weakening the flushing load removal and cleaning effect.